We introduce a novel framework for exploring the evolutionary consequences of phenotypic
plasticity (adaptive and non-adaptive) integrating both genic and epigenetic effects on …

Adaptive plasticity is expected to evolve when informative cues predict environmental
variation. However, plastic responses can be maladaptive even when those cues are …

Biological populations are subject to fluctuating environmental conditions. Different adaptive
strategies can allow them to cope with these fluctuations: specialization to one particular …

To survive unpredictable environmental change, many organisms adopt bet-hedging
strategies that are initially costly but provide a long-term fitness benefit. The temporal extent …

Cooperation is a classic solution to hostile environments that limit individual survival. In
extreme cases this may lead to the evolution of new types of biological individuals (eg …

Multicellular organisms coordinate growth and differentiation from single cell starting points
with developmental programs. While the evolutionary origins of these programs are …

Diapause is a common dormancy strategy exhibited by many species of invertebrates and
insects to temporarily avoid seasonally recurring unfavourable conditions for their …

Programmed cell death (PCD) occurs in both unicellular and multicellular organisms. While
PCD plays a key role in the development and maintenance of multicellular organisms …

Biological organisms have evolved diverse immune mechanisms to defend themselves
against pathogens. Here we build mathematical models of immune systems optimally tuned …

During the process of adaptation, phenotypic variation present within a population provides
the substrate on which selection may act. However, in light of epigenetic processes, the …